


Kintsugi

by StrangerDanger



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: BAMF Arthur, Dehumanization, Hurt Merlin, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Magic Revealed, Punishment, Rape/Non-con Elements, Slavery
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-26
Updated: 2018-02-26
Packaged: 2019-03-24 04:38:32
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,443
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13803567
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StrangerDanger/pseuds/StrangerDanger
Summary: Merlin reveals his magic in order to save his king, but events take a turn for the worst.





	Kintsugi

The knights were out on patrol, Arthur and Merlin too busy with their banter to notice the poor state of the bridge they were about to cross over. Arthur took two steps out onto the wooden atrocity eyes on Merlin as he chastised the manservant for his lack of manners, smiling all the while. Merlin watched with amusement that was quickly replaced with fear as his kings expression changed to shock, then fear as his foot snapped the slab of wood he stood on and he started to fall. With a quick flash of gold Arthur was once again standing on the miraculously repaired bridge. Disbelief painted across his royal face.

Merlin knew that he hadn’t had a choice. It was either use magic in front of his king or watch him die and there was no way he would watch the prat fall before his eyes, even if it meant he was now the one scheduled to great death.

Arthur looked from Merlin to the now sturdy wood he stood on and back to the warlock. The emotions in his eyes flickering rapidly between; shock, betrayal, fear, and anger. Finally, they settled on a mix between betrayal and anger. 

“Arrest the sorcerer,” Arthur ordered his knights, who had been too shocked with the revelation to move. “now!” Arthur roared.

Elyan grabbed hold of the magic restraining cuffs all knights wore on their belts and made his way towards Merlin, an apology written across his features. With a nod of understanding, Merlin dropped his head and extended his arms out for the knight. He would never resist. If Arthur wanted to watch him burn, then so be it. 

…

The group made their way back towards the citadel in silence. Arthur leading the group and Merlin trailing along behind them with Elyan beside him, no other restraints being used on him other than the magic restraining cuffs as the group knew Merlin was not going to resist them, and Arthur, well Arthur knew Merlin.

The group had been walking for ten minutes now and Arthur could not stop replaying the moment Merlin revealed his true colors, over and over again in his head. He had trusted the man with his life, and though he had saved that same very life Arthur felt betrayed; more than that he was hurt. Why wouldn’t Merlin tell him? Did he really think that he would execute him for it like his father would have? He knew there is no way that he would have Merlin executed the very thought made him sick. He just needed some time to think, before he would give the idiot a chance to explain. In the meantime, his manservant could believe what he wanted, he wouldn’t have to stew for too long as they weren’t very far from the citadel now. In ten minutes Arthur would have the knights bring Merlin in for ‘sentencing’ and they would have a long chat. After which maybe Merlin would be able to help Arthur disband the current laws on magic like Arthur has been trying to do for months. 

Arthur was brought out of his own musings by a voice he knew wasn’t part of their party barking out “Drop your weapons or I’ll slit this whelps throat.”

Spinning on his heels Arthur and the rest of the knights were greeted by the sight of Merlin held tight against some bandit’s chest. Arms pinned to his sides, head leaning back against his captors shoulder as a blade lay a hairsbreadth from his exposed throat. Fear made its home in Arthur’s chest as he looked upon the scene. Merlin refusing to make eye contact with any of them, his gaze directed skywards, shoulders slumped with acceptance of his eminent demise. The slump in that normally proud posture angered Arthur. 

He was furious, not with Merlin, but with himself. He had wanted Merlin to hurt as he had hurt the king with his lies, but what he had done was much worse than what Merlin had ever done. His friend had hidden a part of himself from his king and righteously so. Just look at what the man had done when he found out. He punished his most loyal friend. He had managed to strip the man of everything as he stood there; defenseless, an empty shell of who Arthur knew him to be. Empty of everything that made Merlin, Merlin. 

Arthur’s grip tightened on his sword. The knight still holding their weapons and looking at Arthur for further instructions, their faces begging him to do whatever it took to save Merlin. Merlin was still their friend. 

The lack of weapons on the ground had Merlin’s captor drive the tip of the blade into the warlock’s neck. A crimson trail started to make its way down that pale throat. Merlin didn’t make a sound as the blade pierced his skin. The only sign of pain was the tightening of muscles before he went slack once again. 

“I said, drop the weapons.” 

Arthur threw his sword to the ground ordering his knights to do the same. “We did as you asked. Take whatever it is you want, but leave the boy alone.”

“I don’t think you realize how this is going to work, your majesty. I have the hostage so I call the shots. What’s so special about this one anyway? He’s no knight.” The man asked as his eyes trailed down Merlin’s body hoping to find what made him so special. The man’s eyes lit up when he spotted the cuffs on the warlock’s wrists.

“Well, well what do we have here, a magic user?” That drew a twitch from Merlin. “Lads, come on out we have quite the prize here.”

Out of the woodwork about eight men made their way into the clearing. Keeping their weapons raised they made their way around Arthur and his knights kick and all weapons from reach. Removing any coin purses they noticed hanging from their captives belts. 

One of the bandits opened up the coin purse he removed from Arthur’s belt and whistled, “this one’s got some pretty pennies on him.”

Once the bandits had them stripped of both weapons and coins their leader ordered them up against the tree’s having his men secure the group of knights with rope, keeping his grip on Merlin to force the knight’s cooperation. Once secured the men collected the discarded weapons and faced their leader.

“So what do we do with the sorcerer, boss. Do we kill him? You know the king is going to do it once someone stumbles upon him and lets him go. Maybe we should do him a favor and make it quick, like a thank you for being such a cooperative hostage. What do you say boss?” 

Arthur was about to protest when the leader spoke up “No. He is still of some value to us. Cendred’s lands don’t ban sorcerers. I say we sell him to the highest bidder, someone’s bound to take him to use him for his magic or for their other needs.” The bandit sneered as he slid the hand holding Merlin’s arms in place down his chest to grab hold of his groin. The knife keeping the raven haired man in place as the words sunk in and his body tensed. 

Releasing his hold on Merlin the leader pushed the warlock towards his men with an order to have them secure him as he looked over their bounty.

Arthur’s heart was beating out of control as he watched helplessly as Merlin was violated by the vulgar man before his thugs forced Merlin to his knee’s as they secured his arms being his back and placed a rope leash around his neck. Merlin keeping his head down the entire time. 

“I’ll buy him off you!” Arthur called out without thought. “Please, let me buy him off you.”

“You have nothing to offer me, we took what you had.” The leader sneered grabbing hold of the leash and yanking Merlin up to his feet. Once standing the man pulled the young man into his chest grabbing his face in hand as he shoved his thumb into the warlocks mouth, pulling his mandible down to prevent getting bitten. The raven haired man trying to pull away. “He’s a pretty one too. Maybe I’ll even try him out myself before I give sell him off to the highest bidder.” 

“Please, I can get you more gold. Just leave him here. I’ll deliver it to wherever you want it.” Arthur pleaded his eyes on Merlin, hoping he could get the raven haired man to just look at him so that he could read the fear in the king’s eyes. If only Merlin would look at him, Arthur knows that Merlin would know that the king meant him no harm. Merlin had always been able to read him like an open book. 

“No deal. I don’t trust you not to bring the knights down on us. That and I like being able to deny you something you want so badly. Men gag them. I don’t want to hear anything else from this lot.” Removing his hands from Merlin the bandit turned his back to the king and pulled Merlin towards the group of horses some of the bandits had retrieved from between the trees. Climbing up on a chestnut mare the man secured his end of the leash to the saddle before kicking the horse into movement, Merlin forced to keep pace behind him on foot, lest the rope start to choke him. 

…

It was around three hours later when Arthur heard the sound of approaching footsteps. Crying out from behind the rag and trying to make as much noise as possible Arthur hoped it was friend and not foe that was just beyond the tree line. The commotion must have been just enough to draw in the attention of the passer by as three men in red capes rode into the clearing. Slumping in relief Arthur watched as the men realized exactly who they stumbled upon as they scrambled from their mounts and proceeded to cut their bindings. 

As soon as the king is freed from his bindings he grabs one of their rescuers horses and prepares to follow in the direction Merlin was dragged in. Only to be cut short by Leon.

“Sire, it would be unwise to venture off after Merlin on your own and without supplies.” The wise knight stated. “Let us get back to the citadel and gather what we would need for a rescue before heading out after him.”

“I understand that it may be best to return to the citadel, but you heard what they are planning for Merlin, and they have a three hour start on us as it is if we return now and gather ourselves they will have at least five hours on us.” Arthur argued. 

“You can’t take them on unprepared.” Elyan pitched in.

“Fine, you’re right. I just hope Merlin can hold out long enough for us to rescue him. If he dares lay a hand on Merlin I will gut him.” The king raged.

…

Merlin had been walking behind the band of bandits for three hours now with no respite. The fatigue had set in over an hour ago and without food or rest Merlin was finding it harder and harder to keep on his feet, tripping more frequently the longer he went.

An hour later, just as Merlin was about to collapse the group stopped. Merlin fell to his knees. No longer having the strength to keep himself up. The bandit leader grabbed the lead from his horse before handing the animal off to one of his cohorts as he yanked on the rope around Merlin’s neck. 

“Get up, boy.” He ordered as camp was being set up around them.

Merlin stayed where he was, partially to be difficult and partially because he didn’t have the strength to move even had he wanted to. The leader made his way over huffing in anger t being ignored.

“Listen here, boy. You do as I say. You are a slave now so act like it.” He yelled. “Do I need to teach you the hard way?”

Knowing what was implied in that lesson Merlin shook his head. The man pulled on Merlin’s head forcing the warlocks head up as she snarled “Answer me!”

“No, I understand.”  
“Don’t be insolent, boy. I own you now and you will address me and anyone above you in station appropriately using ‘master’, you hear me?”

“Yes, master.” Merlin ground out.

“Good.” The leader smirked, petting Merlin’s head like he would a loyal dog. Securing the rope to a tree the man left Merlin for a moment before returning, bowl in hand. “Look here, pet. I brought you some water. Do you want some water? What do you say?”

“Thank you, Master. May I have some water please, Master?” Merlin gritted out. Knowing that he had to play nice if he was to make it out of this mess.

“Good boy.” The man smirked before placing the bowl of water down before Merlin and walking away once again, leaving the warlocks hands still firmly tied behind his back.

With a sigh, Merlin swallowed his pride as he realized that this is what the man wanted. He wanted to reduce Merlin to nothing more than an animal, and that meant treating him like one. With nothing left to lose, Merlin leaned over putting his face in the bowl as he lapped up the water. He didn’t realize just how thirsty he was until he swallowed his first mouthful. Before he knew it he had licked the bowl dry and still felt like he could drink more. Knowing that it was pointless to ask he settled back, closed his eyes as he thought of ways to get out of his current predicament. He couldn’t count on Arthur to come and save him this time, and magic was not an option. It would be hard, but Merlin was determined not to die a slave, a traitor, yes, but not a slave. 

…

Merlin must have fallen asleep because he was shoved over. Forgetting where he was he mumbled out “Arthur, you prat let me sleep.”

“Did you just call me a prat?” Said a voice that was most definitely not Arthur.

The memories hit Merlin like a brick wall. Arthur knew about his magic and wanted him dead. In fact he wanted him dead so much he was willing to pay to have the opportunity to kill him. He was also currently at the mercy of a group of men, one of whom he had unintentionally insulted. Just as he made that final connection a pair of hands wrapped themselves around his throat. The pressure enough to make breathing difficult, but not impossible. 

“I asked you a question and I expect you to answer me, boy!” The leader of the group yelled in his face.

“I didn’t insult you,” Merlin wheezed out. “Master.” He added as an afterthought.

“You insolent little shit you. I’ll teach you some respect boy.” The man raged calling on one of his henchmen as he pinned Merlin down with his bulk. He ordered the man that came to help to hold Merlin down as he slid off the lithe frame of the warlock and proceeded to pull the boys trousers down. Once they were off he tore Merlin’s shirt off, tossing the ruined garment aside. At the realization of what was happening hit, Merlin started to plead with the man. His begging was cut off by his neckerchief being torn from his neck and shoved into his mouth as a makeshift gag.

Merlin was quickly flipped onto his belly. He could hear the man pulling his belt off behind him. Waiting for the sound of trousers hitting dirt he was unprepared for the leather of the belt to meet his back. The man gave out five quick lashes, leaving Merlin panting into the gag from pain. As he caught his breath the man stripped himself of his trousers. Merlin’s body coiled as he felt hands on his exposed hips. Flailing as best as he could in hopes of breaking free of the grip holding him in place he felt on of the hands remove themselves from his hip only to have it brought to the back of his neck, forcing his face into the dirt. The other hand pulled his hips up. 

Realizing that he was fighting a losing battle, Merlin tried to relax his body as the man lined himself up. With little warning the man seated himself in Merlin, the boy’s cry of pain drowned out by the gag as tears of pain rolled down sharp cheekbones. As soon as he was in the man started to pull out before slamming right back in, setting a rigorous pace that didn’t allow for the warlock to get comfortable. 

Merlin’s magic rolled in anger under the suppressors. He laid their as his body was used, the fight leaving him as he wished for death to claim him. What felt like an eternity later, but was only a few short minutes the man’s hips jerked and lost their rhythm as he came inside the warlock, before pulling out. Some of his seed mingled with blood sliding down pale thighs.

As the man rose he ordered his helper to grab what was left of Merlin’s clothes and burn them laughing, “that should teach the little shit.”

…

Arthur and the men made quick work of gathering their gear, grabbing the fastest horses the royal stables had to offer the made their way back to the clearing to find the bandit’s trail. 

As the group followed the tracks they could tell when Merlin had started to flag. His tracks started to drag and the signs of a tumbling and being dragged while down started to increase. The evidence of Merlin’s mistreatment left a bitter taste in the king’s mouth. His manservant was a klutz on the best of days, but with his hands bound behind him there would be no way that the man would be able to keep himself from falling.

As the sky grew dark around them, ever brave and sensible Leon spoke up, “Sire, we should make camp for the night. We can’t hope to follow the tracks in the dark. Their pace is slow as they are making Merlin walk. We have the advantage of all being on horseback, if we follow their tracks we will be on them quicker than if we lose them now. Time is of the essence, sire. If we want Merlin back, we cannot afford to make a mistake now.”

“You’re right, Sir Leon. Let’s make camp, we leave at first light.” Arthur ordered before turning his stead in the direction of the tracks and hoping that Merlin would be safe for just a bit longer. 

…

The band of bandits cleaned up camp to prepare for their departure. One of the bandits made his way to Merlin, who remained curled into himself on the ground to offer him some water before their journey, which the warlock refused. Before long the group was packed and ready to carry on. The leader made sure to grab the rope lead and secure it to his horse, forcing Merlin up from the ground, body on display. With a chuckle at the poor boy, the band made their way from camp to complete the final two hour stretch to the black market.

The walk was hard on Merlin who would trip over himself every few step, shooting a sharp pain through his body from the abuse of the morning. He could feel the dried blood and cum that had made its way down his thighs with every step, bringing further humiliation. Just as Merlin though he wouldn’t be able to go much further, he was brought to a halt. Looking up he noticed that they had made it to a makeshift market. Merlin didn’t get long to figure out his surroundings before he was dragged along into the crowd and lead somewhere towards the centre. 

No time was wasted in getting Merlin to where they seemed to keep all the people that were to be up for auction. The bandit leader was given instructions on where he could prepare and keep his ‘goods’ before the auctioneer walked away to prepare the bidders. Leaving the pair of them behind the makeshift stage as the other bandits left to look around.

Merlin was dragged in the direction they had been pointed towards, a makeshift bathhouse without any modicum of privacy, not that he had anything left to hide as he had made his way into the market nude as the day he was born. The bandit pulled Merlin forward, forcing him into a tub of water that had already served multiple people by the looks of it. The bandit shoved Merlin’s head under before pulling him out of the cold water. Once out of the tub the warlock had a bucket of cold water dumped over his head to wash off any residual dirt left behind from the tub.

Once ‘bathing’ was complete, Merlin was pulled along to where other slaves were lined up. He was secured to a beam to wait for the auction that was scheduled to start in an hour. The area was full of guards tasked with taking care of the goods, so that the sellers could make their way to the stands and watch the bidding from the floor.

The auction was a big affair, Merlin could hear the gathered crowd as bidding was opened and slaves were pulled onto stage one by one. When Merlin finally made his way to side stage he realized exactly what the auction entailed. Ten to fifteen people were lined up like prized horses on the stage and interested bidders made their way across, looking and touching as they pleased, before returning to their seats for bidding to begin. Merlin could see the way some lords would fondle breasts or slide their hands down to cup some of the men. Merlin’s stomach turned at the thought of having someone else touch him anywhere without his consent.

As the bidding for those on display came to a close, Merlin was escorted up onto one of the podiums, secured over a wooden beam on full display with a guard flanking him. Once everyone was lined up the vultures were called down to study their potential prizes. Merlin, tensed as hands roved over his body. Fingers being forced under the gag and into his mouth, hands gripping his bollocks weighing them in hand. The final straw was when a lecherous lord from Mercia trailed his hand down Merlin’s spine and between his cheeks, shoving his dried fingers into the previously abused hole. Jerking his hips forward to try and dislodge the unwelcomed intrusion he was brought short by the beam against his hips as those fingers pushed in deeper wiggling inside, searching. They found what they were looking for when the bundle of nerves they probed forced his unwilling cock to start to harden against his will. The owner of the hand leaned over the warlocks back whispering ‘impressive for a boy’ into his ear before licking the shell and drawing away.

The rest of the auction passed by in a blur, before he knew it Merlin was being pulled off the podium a large foreign object forced into his rectum, before being handed over to the same Mercian man that had invaded his body. Merlin was quickly pulled out of the auction house and toward a lavish carriage. Forced inside by a guard of the noble he was forced to the ground as the nobleman sat down in the bench.

“My, my aren’t you a pretty little thing. I can’t wait to fill you with my cum and keep you that way. I had to bribe the one of the guards to have them prepare you with my gift. How do you like it? I had it fashioned to match my own cock so that you would always have me in your pert little ass.” The man grinned, running his hands over Merlin’s body. “In fact, maybe I should take you now as I don’t think I can sit through the next auction knowing I have left you here, unsoiled.” 

The man pulled Merlin up by his hair, shoving him on his knees, as he secured the lead to the other side of the bench forcing Merlin to lay his chest on the cushioned wood. Pulling his cock out of his trousers the lord slowly pumped what Merlin now knew to be a phallic object in and out of Merlin’s entrance, pulling it out fully when his cock was straining, and leaking pre-cum. Placing the plug off to the side he quickly replaced it with his own cock, groaning as the heat enveloped him. The lord could not contain his excitement and drove into the warlock with a thunderous pace, grunting into the boy’s ear with each thrust until he came. The cock was slowly removed from the warlocks abused hole to avoid spilling any of the seed left behind as the phallic plug was again inserted snug into the wrecked hole to keep everything inside. With a slap to the boys exposed ass the lord tucked himself back in and exited the carriage, leaving Merlin tied to the bench with tears running freely down his cheeks, begging the gods to take his life as consciousness left him.

…

The knight and Arthur followed the tracks at first light and not long after stumbled onto the abandoned camp. Quickly studying the area for any clues it could give them they saw signs of a struggle under one of the trees. The dirt showed signs of a struggle and had traces of blood along with what Arthur knew to be semen, dried in small drops. Anger flared through Arthur’s chest at the realization that Merlin had been raped. He blamed himself for what the warlock must have gone through. None of this would have happened had Arthur not tried to punish his manservant for his lies.

Making their way from the camp they followed the remaining tracks, racing towards the market. Once close the group made sure to removing anything that would mark them as knight of Camelot before they made their way to the auction house where the bidding was coming to a close. Looking through the various men and women they could not spot that familiar mop of dark hair. It was Percival that finally spotted the warlock as he was being pulled out of the auction house by a man in fine dark blue robes on the other side of the auction house. 

The group pushed their way through the crowds to follow their friend. By the time they managed to push their way to the exit the warlock was nowhere to be seem. Dozens of carts were lined up before them people coming in and out of some of them.

“We need to split up. Call out when you find him.” Arthur ordered choosing a direction to move in as he looked for his best friend.

Before long Arthur was approaching the end of his row of carts when a door opened three carts ahead of him, familiar blue robes catching his attention as the man in them proceeded to finish tightening his trousers. Rage sparked in Arthur at the sigh. Before he knew what he was doing he had his sword drawn and skewered through the mans chest.

With a deep breath to prepare what he would find Arthur pulled the door open. Inside was a naked Merlin. Pulling off the brown cloak he was wearing Arthur covered the lithe frame, calling out the warlocks name, only to notice that the boy had passed out. Sticking his head out of the cart Arthur called out, “I found him” leaving the door wide open to alert the knights to his whereabouts. Arthur made quick work of the gag and rope on around the warlock’s neck, noting the rope burn around the long neck. Pulling Merlin down to the floor where he could lay more comfortably he pulled the cape down slightly, just enough to give him access to his friends bound wrists, were he proceeded to remove the magic suppressing cuffs.

As soon as the metal was removed, Merlin’s eyes started to twitch under their lids. Arthur covered him back up just as the knights appeared at the opened door.

“We need to get him out of here, now.” Arthur ordered. “Percival, you’re going to have to drive the cart out of this place and to where we left our horses. The rest of you need to make your way out of here and to the meeting point as quickly as possible, but without raising any suspicion.”

“There is no way I’m leaving you alone with Merlin, princess.” Gwaine argued. “He thinks you want him dead. He knows he is like a brother to me and had I been on patrol with the lot of you I never would have let you do what you did, and every one of you knows it. I may have sworn an oath to you, princess, but my loyalties always have and always will be to Merlin. Now make some room.”

The group quickly dispersed as Percival made his way to unlatch the horses and lead the carriage out of the market. Inside the carriage Gwaine went to pull the cloak off of his friend to check his injuries and help with what he could, and catalogue what Gaius would have to fix. The action was cut short when Arthur grabbed his hand just before it made contact with the blue fabric.

“Leave it. He’s been violated enough as it is, let him have a modicum of privacy.” The king ordered.

“I know what’s been done to him princess, all of could guess after seeing the bandit’s camp and finding him wrapped in your cloak, but we need to make sure he isn’t injured beyond what we know. We need to treat what we can.” Gwaine argued.

Releasing his hold on Gwaine’s wrist Arthur acquiesced with a simple warning, “Nobody is to ever find out about this.” 

Gently removing the cloak the pair took in the damage, paling as they came upon the blood on his thighs. Following the crimson trail they notice the foreign object sitting between his cheeks. Gwaine could see in the corner of his eye as Arthur set his jaw and clenched his fists. Gwaine knew that had he not already killed the man responsible, the man would have wished begged for death.

“We have to remove it.” Gwaine stated. 

“I know. I’ll do it” Arthur breathed out hands shaking as he unfurled his fists reaching out to place on hand gently on Merlin’s hip as the other reached out to remove the obtrusive item. Gwaine, for his part pulled Merlin’s head onto his lap, carding his fingers through the dirty raven locks. As Arthur gripped the base of the plug he pulled it out in one smooth movement. That was all it took for Merlin to shoot his eyes wide open with a hoarse ‘No’.

Arthur was quick to leaning over the warlock, careful not to touch him as he placed himself directly in front of Merlin’s line of sight speaking in soft tones, “Hey, hey your safe now, Merlin. We have you. You’re safe.”

Merlin tried to say something that Arthur couldn’t quite make out. Leaning in closer in hopes of making out what his truest friend was saying, Arthur jumped back in shock at the words he had heard.

“Kill me, please” Merlin had begged. Arthur began to shake his head. With a cry at the denial of his request Merlin raised his voice above a whisper as he continued to beg. “Please, just make it swift. Run me through, I don’t care just as long as I don’t have to wait for the pyre. Please , sire.”

“Merlin,” Arthur choked out, tears building in his throat, “I-I can’t. I was never going to.”

“Please”

“I was never going to have you executed. I don’t care about the magic, Merlin. You have always been loyal to me and I let you down. I wanted you to stew for a bit, and I never considered the danger I was putting you in when I suppressed your magic, but I swear that I never meant to hurt you. I could never intentionally cause you true pain, never mind execute you. I’ll fix this. I promise.”

With one last “please” Merlin once again lost consciousness. 

Before long, Percival had them out of the market and in the clearing with their horses. As they waited for the others Arthur had Gwaine grab whatever medical supplies he had managed to bring with him to patch Merlin up to the best of their abilities as Percival took watch. Once all the knights were gathered Arthur dressed Merlin in a pair of his own spare clothes before gently carrying him from the carriage and maneuvering the lithe man onto his horse in front of the king himself. Though not ideal the group realized that they would draw less attention to themselves by abandoning the adorned carriage.

…

The group made it back to Camelot in record timing, stopping only when necessary. Merlin remained mostly unconscious throughout the trip. When he was semi coherent Arthur focused on getting his friend to drink, not managing to entice him to eat anything. 

The spires of the citadel had never bought Arthur more relief then they did as he made it over the last hill of their journey. Just beyond the walls of the city lay safety and help. Aid that Merlin so desperately needed if he was ever to recover. No matter how hard he tried, Arthur knew that he was of little help to Merlin right now. If they could not get the man properly hydrated and fed he wouldn’t stand a chance of recovering.

As he crossed the gate, Arthur ordered Elyan to run up to Gaius’ chambers and let him know that Merlin would be in need of his assistance. Pulling Merlin gently from his horse, Arthur carries him gently in his arms down the various corridors as he makes his way to the physician’s chambers, the knights of the round table on his heels.

Bursting through the door the group is greeted by Gaius who was removing various potions and lotions, the patient cot cleared for Merlin’s arrival. As Arthur gently lay Merlin on the cot, Gaius asked what happened. Arthur ordered the knights out of the room, to give Merlin some privacy the king quickly explains what he knows based on his own finings and assumptions.

Arthur helps the physician as they put various pastes on the rope burn and the soles of Merlin’s feet that have been worn and torn from walking without any shoes. Clean bandages cover multiple areas. Before long everything has been taken care of but the one part of Merlin that has been abused more than any other. 

“Sire, I need you to lift one of his legs and keep it up for me as I examine him inside. I have to make sure that there is no serious tears. I will give him a sedative to prevent him from waking during the procedure.” Gaius informed the king as he grabbed a bottle filled with green liquid. 

Arthur grabbed hold of Merlin’s limb raising it to give the physician access as he turned away, not wanting to know the full extent of damage done, and to honor his friends modesty. Gaius was quick in his work telling Arthur that he was done and that there was not much the physician could do for the warlock other than give him something for the pain as the small tears healed in their own time.

“Could you use magic,” the king asked. “To heal him, could you do it with magic?”

The physician was thrown back by the question. “I’m afraid not, sire. It has been a long time since I last practiced the art and I fear that I could cause more harm than good. It would be best to allow Merlin to heal naturally. I can help him along in his physical recover, but I’m afraid that there is only so much I can do to help him mentally. I fear that the physical injuries he sustained are nothing compared to the mental scars he will bear with him for the rest of his life. For now, we must wait for him to awaken. Let me know when he does.” With that the physician made his way into his own rooms to rest. The king staying by the warlock’s side.

The king had fallen asleep at some point during the night, Merlin’s hand secured in his over the sheets. It was the twitching f fingers that had woken the king from his slumber, a moan of discomfort leaving the warlocks lips had the king wide awake and calling for Gaius. As he waited for the physician to get into the room, Arthur hovered over the warlock, gently calling out his name in hopes of getting him to open his eyes. His efforts paid off when dark lashes lifted revealing lifeless blue eyes. Blue eyes that were foreign to Arthur without the spark that usually resided in them. 

“Come on Merlin stay awake for me. Gaius is coming, just keep your eyes open.” Arthur softly ordered the warlock whose eyes were heavily lidded, the painkiller making it hard for the raven haired youth in the bed to keep awake. 

Merlin’s eyes were drawn away from the kings face, that he had been staring at as Gaius threw open the door and snuffled over to the patient cot. “Sire, can you help me prop him up in a sitting position?”

Once the warlock was seated and more awake, Gaius began speaking, “Merlin, I need you tell me if anything hurts, I have patched up what I could.” He began.

Tears began running down Merlin’s cheeks at the question. Silent rivers running down sharp cheekbones, not a sound being made by the man.

“Merlin, my boy. I need you to tell me.”

“I want a bath.” Merlin stated, ignoring the question completely, face still a shattered mask behind the tears.

“I’ll have someone bring one up.” Arthur said as he got up and made his way to the door hoping to catch a passing servant.

“Merlin, are you in any pain?” Gaius asked, not allowing himself to be deterred by the warlock’s change of subject.

Shaking his head to indicate a negative, Merlin refused to say anything more as he waited for the bath to be prepared for him. Arthur and Gaius left the warlock alone once the bath was ready, Arthur standing just outside the door in case Merlin needed their help. Standing outside the door this feeling of unease settles in his very soul and grows as the minutes pass. Five minutes from when Arthur had shut the door and stood guard he can no longer fight it off. Knocking on the door ha calls out Merlin’s name, repeating it three more times in increasing panic at the lack of response. The feeling is now smothering him and it feels like he can’t breathe. Without thinking Arthur throws the door open. Inside the room Merlin is laying under water, fingers on the edge of the tub, white and twitching from the force of keeping him under. Arthur runs into the room at the realization of what Merlin is trying to do.

Skidding to a halt at the foot of the tub Arthur reached in and pulls the raven haired man out of the water, the sound of coughing and gasping filling the air as Arthur removes his cloak and covers the gasping man with it. The warlock’s breath evens out and he begins to yell at the king in anger. “Why won’t you just let me die? Please, if you won’t kill me yourself, don’t stop me!”

“Merlin, please.” Arthur begged. He pleaded for the warlock to fight, to understand that he was not alone, but most off all for him to stop trying to tear Arthur’s heart out by trying to kill himself. 

…

After his little stunt with the bath Merlin was not to be left alone for any amount of time. Arthur and his closest knights all took turns guarding the boy from himself. Anything that could be used to hurt one’s self with was removed from the warlock’s vicinity. 

For three weeks, Merlin was forced to stay in bed and rest and recover. Arthur and the knights did what they could to ease the warlock’s recovery. As time passed and Merlin realized that the king was in fact not going to have him executed for sorcery glimpses of himself started to peer through. Most nights he still had nightmares of his ordeal. Arthur took to sleeping in the same room as the warlock, a cot having been placed in the room for the king so that he could wake the warlock when the nightmares became too much. During the days the king was locked away in the council chambers as he worked on reforming the laws on magic.

Just over a month into his recover and Merlin started to return to his duties, the tasks were kept light at first as he familiarized himself with the routine again. He still shied away from any sort of physical contact, but the previously familiar banter with the king was slowly returning. More often than not Merlin referred to the king by name instead of the previous ‘sire’. 

Arthur was filled with relief at every step Merlin took forward in his recovery. Of course there were times in which he slipped and fell such as when a group of knights came back from a patrol. The men that had taken Merlin away brought into the throne room arrested by the king’s men. The commotion that erupted in the throne room was one that would be remembered by all. The men didn’t even get to have a trial for their crimes when the leader took notice of the warlock, filthy, lecherous words falling off his tongue causing the warlock to freeze as the king got up from his throne and ran his blade through the man’s chest, ceasing his tirade. After that Merlin had walked around for two weeks avoiding all of his friends, the man’s words erasing much of the progress the warlock had made.

…

It was one morning two weeks after the court room incident that Arthur cornered Merlin. The king had enough of Merlin cowering away from him and treating him like everyone else; calling him ‘sire’. Enough was enough.

“He was wrong you know.” Arthur said out of the blue as Merlin was setting up his breakfast, causing the raven haired man to startle and drop the fork.

“Sire?”

“The man who took you. He was wrong. Everything he said about you when the knights brought him in was wrong.” At the mention of the incident Merlin started to make his way to the door, Arthur blocking his way. “You are so strong, Merlin. What they did to you was despicable. Everything they said to you, the things he called you, all of it was false to try and break you. You are the strongest person I know, Merlin. You went through hell, and I you fought your back from hell, don’t let the words of some scum bag ever make you believe that you are anything but strong.”

Merlin had tears in his eyes as Arthur finished his speech. The king had slowly made his way towards his manservant as the words left his lips. By the time he was done he was standing right in front of the raven haired man. One look at the water building up in those blue eyes had Arthur pulling Merlin into his arms, tucking his head into the crook of his shoulder. Arthur could feel the warm tears wicking into the fabric of his tunic, but he just carried on holding onto the man in his arms. Just as the warlock was about to pull away from the embrace, Arthur gave him one more firm squeezing placing a gently kiss into raven locks.


End file.
